07 October 2022

Despite working in travel for 20 years, travelling to almost 50 countries and selling a whole range of products - until earlier this year I had never stepped foot on a Cruise Ship. After having 2 incredible, albeit different experiences on 2 different ships in April and May I have been keen to get more travellers on the water and to try out new experiences myself so was thrilled to be asked by Celebrity Cruises to attend their Seminar at Sea on their newest Edge Ship - Beyond. Celebrity Beyond is an absolute beauty and a marvellous addition to the Edge series and Celebrity fleet. From the moment you walk on the ship you get the WOW factor. The Grand Plaza at the very heart of the shop is stunning and really is the beating heart of the ship. It has a great vibe throughout the day and you cannot miss the flaring of the bartenders each evening at the Martini Bar - they are brilliant. After heading to lovely stateroom and unpacking it was time to go explore and first stop it had to be the top deck. The giant elephant on top of a man's shoulders (signifying strength) cannot fail to impress and it provides the entrance to the pool area which is a great size and you can definitely get some laps in here. The whole area of the pool, cabanas, The Roof Garden and the Sunset Deck have been exquisitely designed by Kelly Hoppen and provide so many different areas to kick back and relax. The whole ship provides so much space and despite being almost full we never once felt it was overcrowded. For those in Retreat Class, they have their own area which is again beautiful, it has a lounge, deck and restaurant exclusively for them as well as a number of other benefits and the suites are something else. As well as having world famous designers help to make this a stunning ship on the outside, - the interior is just as stunning and I particularly loved all the quirky pieces of art dotted around. Then on to what Celebrity pride themselves on - the food. The Oceanview Café houses the buffet which caters for all and has a huge selection of options for breakfast, lunch and dinner. They have a great Pizzeria at the back and you can also get a decent burger at the Mast Bar. Evening meals are held in one of 4 restaurants and guests on specific dining times will be allocated one restaurant for their stay, a good proportion of the menu changes daily so even if they dine here every day they will get a great choice, however, if you are not in the Aqua or Retreat class then I would definitely recommend choosing the anytime dining so you can choose from one of the 4 classic restaurants at anytime (booking recommended). In addition to the classic restaurants they have a whole range of Speciality Restaurants from a Steak House, Eden, (which offers culinary science type food in the most stunning surroundings) a interactive experience in The Petit Chef and so much more. With many of the offers including on-board credit it is definitely worth using this credit for these restaurants. The Theatre is AMAZING, we got to experience Arte which was awesome and the screen behind the performers becomes part of the show. They have a great range of shows and something different each night. Then the rest of the entertainment, be this on deck or in the Club provides all guests with a full schedule if they so choose. However, most cruisers will choose ship and itinerary and Celebrity and specifically Beyond has so many to choose from that the difficulty is deciding which one to choose. I had a fantastic experience on-board Celebrity Beyond and would 100% recommend the ship and Celebrity both for first timers and those who love their cruises. They absolutely are a 5 star Cruise and I can definitely vouch that I received 5 star service, 5 star food and a 5 star experience on board.